Midsummer Night
by Elz Durden
Summary: A tale of magic, betrayal, true love, curses or how I learned to stop worrying and love fairy tales. HaruXBaron
1. Chapter 1

Oh yes. I do fairy tales too.

~.~

Once upon a time, in a kingdom that was as poor as the moonlight at dawn and so old the edges of it had started to be reclaimed by the wilds – lived a king and his three daughters. Had he two coins to rub together, the King would have already married them off to neighboring kingdoms but as it stood, their dowries were barren and no one wished to link their coffers to theirs.

One day, in despair and desperation, the King declared to his daughter's that the one who brought him the most beautiful dog would be his heir and the other two would be cast out in poverty.

Having no other choice, the daughters bid their father farewell and left the kingdom on their mad search. They agreed it would be best to split up and with hugs and tears, rode off in separate directions.

But like all good fairy tales, our story actually begins several years ago, in a small town where the most beautiful woman in the world was about to have her heartbroken.

~.~

The spring had come to the village of Hastings, that verdant time when new life is crowning on every hillside and the animals are stirring from their deep winter slumber.

It was raining the day the most beautiful woman in the world gave birth to her one and only child. The kind of rain that sings and that falls in a slow mist because it has nowhere else it would rather be. It was a soft, quiet, gentle rain that did nothing to cover the mewling cries of a newborn.

"Hush now, little one." Rose cooed as she drew the babe closer to her. Tired as she was, her heart rejoiced at seeing her first born.

"Oh Rose," smiled the midwife, "I have never seen a child of such beauty. And look at that hair!" Fondly she gently lifted a tiny ginger curl back from his forehead. "I don't believe I've ever seen such a brilliant …red."

Rose gave a laugh, "It's ok Darcy, and you can say 'orange'. My mom always swore me and my brothers were born with hair like a spring carrot. It didn't turn a proper red till we were older."

"It's lovely all the same, seems he was blessed with your good looks."

"Aye, he is the most beautiful thing I have ever laid my eyes on." Already more in love with him than she ever thought possible, Rose felt her heart swell with pride at the thought of introducing him to his father once he returned from sea. "I've been waiting for you my entire life." She whispered as she kissed the soft curls atop his head.

Darcy lingered a moment longer, taking in the sight of the mother and her son before busying herself with cleaning up. "I'll be round in a few hours Rose. I'm going to run home and make sure my oaf of a husband has his supper before I come back round for the night. Will you be ok till then?"

"I will." Rose said with a smile. "I think Humbert and I can manage till then."

"Humbert?"

Rose gave her dear friend a sly smile. "Well, he did get all my Irish good looks, seems only fair he takes a German name after his father."

"Humbert." Darcy said again, testing it out, "I like it, good strong name. He'll need it if he's to be a fisherman like his father."

"Oh no." The new mother objected right away, "My Humbert is destined for greater things than fish. He'll have an education, become a man of learning, a real gentleman. See the world! I want everything for him."

"Don't all mother's?" The older woman laughed indulgently. "Anyway, I'm off Rose - won't be gone long. Here." She gently lifted the baby and tucked him in to his cradle, careful not to wake him. "You both get some sleep. Be back in two shakes."

With a contented mumble, Rose slipped further in to her bedding, her hand resting against the side of the cradle. Darcy had only just shut the door when Rose drifted off in to a deep, dreamless sleep.

All was quiet in the house; the sunlight was fading, chasing shadows along the floor. It was warm enough that the hearth sat empty of fire but still too chilly to open the windows to the night air. One by one, the windows of the surrounding houses lit up with candle light and the soft conversation of meal time drifted through the town.

"He's beautiful."

The voice was a soft whisper, all sweetness and light and though Rose's brow furled at the sound, she did not awaken.

Nor did she stir when the cradle rocked, ever so gently – it's precious cargo lifted away in to the hands of a cloaked stranger.

"For a human." Came a second voice, no less melodious but deeper, richer and somewhat sarcastic.

"Don't be rude, Puck. That is my son you speak of." The robed stranger admonished, turning towards the tall figure that stood causally against the doorway.

"The king is going to have a fit when he finds you have taken a human child as your own. _Again_."

With a roll of her eyes, the woman drew back her hood, revealing a face that was youthful and stunning in its beauty. "Oberon does not see fit to give me a child therefore, what he does or does not approve of is no concern of mine. Look at this child and tell me anyone but a fae could have birthed one so beautiful? Tell me it was not a simple error that he was delivered to this human and not myself?"

Puck lifted his hands in a pacifying motion. "I meant no offense." He said, almost unable to suppress a sigh. "Ah yes, now in the better light of the moon, I can see he is indeed your son."

Missing or choosing to ignore the dry tone in her companion's voice, Titania smiled, bringing the child closer to inspect him. She smile faltered slightly when the newborn tiredly opened his eyes. "I must say I care not for the color of his eyes."

With a groan, Puck left his station at the door and moved to his Queen's side. "All babies are born with such dull eye color, my Queen. I am sure they will become more fetching once he is older."

The Queen lifted her head, staring expectantly at her servant as the rest of her smile started to fade.

"Or," Puck amended, "I'll just give him the Fire fruit, shall I?" He asked, retrieving a small, twisted piece of soft fruit from his pack. "I mean, it's not terribly rare and valuable. I didn't spend the better half of a century chasing down dragons and fighting phoenixes for this single piece."

"Puck."

"Fine, fine." The fae sighed and brought the fruit up with a steady hand. With more care than most would afford a piece of fruit and with trained concentration, Puck very carefully squeezed a single drop on to his finger and in the same steady movement, rubbed the juice against the lids of the child's eyes. "There, fairy Sight and the gift of Magic, all in one easy to apply dose."

The baby was not pleased as the juice found its way in to his eyes and began to whimper. The next time he opened his eyes, they were no longer the colorless gray of a new born but the intense green of emeralds, of Cat's eye jade.

Satisfied, Titania moved the child closer to her breast, cuddling it against the soft fabric of her riding coat. "Come Puck. We've wasted enough time. We're eager to be home."

"As you wish my Lady." He bowed low and kept low till he heard the sound of the Queen mounting her horse. Puck raised his head, casting a look at the now childless mother. "I know nothing will ever ease this ache," he said softly, "But you have my word, your son, your Humbert, will have every protection I can afford him. I promise you, in the end, he will have his happily ever after."

And like a drop of water falling back in to a river, Puck took a step outside in to the shadows of the night sky and was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

It was a warm summer day that Puck found himself in a clearing near the edge of the wooden glen. The young boy before him was on the edge of his childhood, in the tender twilight of his innocence. It was odd to see a child hit that point in a mere nine years – another reminder of how fast humans grew.

"Crying will afford you no favors." The elf reprimanded halfheartedly.

A small hand wiped at tears, "I don't want to ride." The child protested in his soft tenor.

"Humbert, we've been over this." Puke rubbed his temples in exasperation, trying to recall if the Queen's last 'child' had been so headstrong. "A prince must learn to ride. It's your mother's dearest wish." _At the moment._ He added mentally to himself.

The Queen's moods were temperamental at best and downright mercurial when it came to the education of her child. She became enthralled in an idea and just as quickly lost interest. One day, it was teaching Humbert to write runes in star ink, the next it was training to dance with tree nymphs and today -

"But." The child objected again, "He's so big."

And the youngling prince was right. The stallion was a glorious apple dappled horse, as wide as the child was tall with a broad, strong chest, thick wavy mane and absolutely perfect for riding – if you happened to be a three hundred year old elfin warrior on the way to do battle with giants. Of course, Titania didn't consider how small her son was, or how very delicate. The only logic she applied to the lesson was this was her finest horse and so of course, this would be the one he rode.

Puck knelt down to the boy, resting a hand on his shoulder. "It'll be ok, Humbert. I won't let you get hurt."

To his surprise, the little one quickly wrapped his arms around the fae, hiding his face against his chest. The prince often showed these displays of affection when he and Puck were alone and so his surprise quickly faded in to something a touch softer than indulgence.

Out of all the court, Puck was the only one that treated the child like what he was – human born. Unlike fae children that danced in starlight and had the attention span of the wind, Humbert needed reassurance and a sense of stability. He took things seriously and felt things deeply.

And how telling the times were that Puck-the music maker, the prank player - had somehow become the only constant in the child's short life. He blamed spending entirely too much time bedding milk maids and acting as the patron humans that got lost in his forests. All that human contact simply couldn't be good for him.

"Calm yourself my prince." He comforted. As much as he was loathe to admit it, he was growing found of the child.

Tossing the idea back in forth in his head and deciding to just do it, Puck waved that hand that wasn't currently caught in an embrace in a counter clock wise motion towards the steed. At once, the horse shrank down, shedding years right along with its height and girth until only a young pony remained.

"There." Puck said, drawing the child from him and turning him towards the horse. "I think he is far better suited for you now."

The smile Humbert gave him and the resulting warmth it drew out of him only confirmed how much he was starting to care.

With all the enthusiasm a child can display, Humbert ran to the horse, who seemed equally pleased to see the prince and the apple he had tucked away in his small riding coat.

"I've gone soft." The forest elf realized with a sense of dread. "I really have."

"Puck!" Shouted a melodious voice. Puck winced internally. Only his Queen could pack that much disappointment and reprimand in to a single word.

He quickly rose to his feet, bowing in greeting as the Lady herself burst in to the clearing. With an explanation ready as to why one of her prized war horses was currently experiencing a second, and from the looks of it, much happier, childhood, Puck was careful not to meet her eyes.

"Where is Oberon, Puck?" She spit out, all fire and suspect.

_Now I wish she would have asked about the horse._ "Ah, my Lady! It does my heart a noble turn to see your return to us. How I have missed your fair company and –

"Puck! Where is my husband?"

The fairy nervously cast a glance behind his Queen. Her handmaidens, each lovelier than the last, stood at her back, their own graceful features cast in fury. It was a bad sign that they were in attendance. His Lady was preparing for war.

"My Queen," His tone was pacifying, "I am sure he will be returning presently. In the meantime, what say I play you and your fair attendants a soothing tune?"

In answer, a low rumble groaned over the tree tops. Titania's fury was neither hot, nor did it burn cold. It was quick and unforgiving and like a storm, could rise from the most pleasant days without warning. No one in all of the fae willingly risked their Queen's disfavor and Puck was no exception, not even for his King.

Through gritted teeth, he forced out, "He is in the Glistening Glades, my Queen."

Shrieks of outrage erupted from the waiting handmaidens, their once exquisite faces shifting to feral masks. As for herself, the Queen straightened up, eyes flashing the purple of bruised fruit.

The King only ever went to the Glades for one thing - the flighty nymphs within.

"Thank you, Puck." The Queen said with an honest amount of sincerity under the biting anger. "I shall now be leaving to fetch my _husband_."

Puck bowed and silently thanked the three goddesses that for all their faults, Oberon and Titania at least kept their marital problems between themselves as much as they were able. Lucky that, for Puck knew too well what could happen if their considerable power was turned on someone other than one another.

After the Queen had stormed off, rampant maidens in tow, Puck turned his attention back to the Prince, who seemed blissfully unaware of anything but the pony he was riding.

~.~

Puck didn't often sleep but when he did, he had a few rules he lived by.

First, it had to be in a bed. He'd gone centuries of sleeping in trees before humans had perfected the art of feather mattresses and he swore he'd never go back.

The second was that he never slept alone. That tender bar maid who had gladly helped him with rule two had woken early to leave to begin her daily chores. As Puck had no duties of his own presently, he saw nothing wrong with tucking back in, bottle in hand.

He had no warning before he was suddenly aware of another presence in the room. Like a candle being lit, one second he was alone, the next the stunning figure of his Queen was standing in the room's center. She was smiling, practically radiating good cheer.

Warning bells started to go off in Puck's head. Either the Queen had finally made up with her King – which he supposed could be the case – or she had come up with a new way to get revenge on him.

"My Lady," Puck offered in greeting as he greedily pulled the dregs of the wine from the bottle. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Puck, I need your help." She said, smiling indulgently. "I can't seem to find Humbert. You know how boys are, probably off with a herder's daughter – will you fetch him for me?"

"Humbert?" Puck asked casually, eyeing the empty bottle and debating on conjuring another four, or five.

"My son, dearest Puck, how much have you had to drink?" She asked, moving over and resting a slender hand against his head. "You will be a dear and fetch him, won't you?"

Puck sighed, drawing up the air from the deepest parts of his lungs and steading his resolve. "My Lady, I returned him to his village."

The Queen's perfect brow frowned in confusion. "Why ever would you do such a thing?"

"Because," He said, pulling himself free of the covers and spelling the wine bottle full again, sobriety be damned. "You've been gone for seven years my Queen. I know for us, that's just a really good night out but for a human born child, that's a lifetime."

It was best to gloss over the tiny detail it took Puck two years to decide to give Humbert back to his birth parents. It was a fact that the Queen would see as him patiently waiting for her to return but that Puck knew had absolutely nothing to do with her and everything to do with his own selfishness. In the end, he had to do what he thought was best for the Prince. The whole ordeal was entirely too personal to talk about.

The Queen rolled her eyes, "Well go fetch him. He is still my son."

"With all due respect my Lady, why? The last human born you claimed you were all too happy to part with once he was grown. You know humans get frightfully dull and foolish as they age. Humbert is a man now by human standards, likely set in his ways – halfway to the grave!" Puck took another deep swig of his wine.

For all the good it did, Puck might as well have saved his words for they were lost in her knowing smile.

"I have plans for him, Puck."


	3. Chapter 3

"Wake up, Humbert." The urgent voice cut through the veil of sleep and the young man struggled to open groggy eyes.

The light was a terrible insult, shining as it was when he had only just laid to rest. Humbert further opened a wary eye and wasn't surprised to see Puck dashing around his room, picking up random articles of his belongings. This was the fairly usual state of things. One got used to a lot when one's best friend was a magical creature that governed the wilds.

"Good morn, Puck," He yawned, "or night as it was. I see the sun but I know that can't be right, I've only to bed."

"It is very much morning, Humbert." Puck corrected, not stopping in his mad collection. "Have you been drinking?"

"Of course, it is or was my sixtieth birthday. Did you know my father has a drink named after him? It is absolute rubbish but what are you doing with my things?"

"We don't have time Humbert, we need to leave." He responded, shoving things at random in to a leather draw string bag.

"Leave?" The idea helped to sober his idle mind and Humbert stretched from his bed, pulling a shirt on from the bed post where it had been discarded.

"I haven't seen you in over a month and now, out of the blue when I've clearly been at the drink, now you want to travel? No, sorry." He groaned, falling back on the pillows. "Whatever madness you have planned with have to wait till after we have a proper breakfast - you know how mum gets if you leave without seeing her and father has been itching to have a row with you. His nets mysteriously knotted last time you were round."

"Don't have choice." Puck retorted, never stopping in his mad dash to fill the travel bag. "Don't have time to explain and we do not," he finished, snapping his fingers in Humbert's direction, "have time to argue about this."

The sudden feel of cold, starched garments against his warm, lazy skin cleared the rest of the sleep and drink from Humbert's head. He lifted the covers and glanced down with a sigh. Puck had magically clothed him in an outrageous white riding outfit. "I hate it when you do that." He muttered, clambering out of bed. There was no point in trying to fight it. Puck seemed in a mood today.

"Alright look, I'll get Cianed saddled, but in the meantime" He countered, with a grin as he made to grab his riding boots. "You have to tell mum what it is you have planned. She _will_ hunt you down if you leave again without at least a greeting. Woman must have the heart of a saint, fond as she is of your daft self."

His second boot was halfway on when a willowy hand grabbed him by the shoulder, dragging his attention away from his current task. Humbert had seen Puck upset a few times but overall, the charismatic fae preferred levity to gravity. Those fathomless amber eyes were deadly serious now.

"We have to leave Humbert, now."

"What is it Puck?" He asked with a frown. "Has something happened?"

Puck nodded, "Yes. Your Queen mother has returned."

Humbert wasn't sure how to react to those words.

The idea wasn't a new one. It was a nightly obsession when he was a child – if and when his 'mother' would return, what was to become of him, abandon to the fae court. There had always been a constant feeling of dread that she wouldn't return, a constant feeling of hope that she wouldn't. His feelings towards the mother that gave him everything but affection and understanding were mixed and confused at best. Had it not been for Puck, forever his guardian and steady companion, he doubted he would have lasted long.

He remembered one night he had awoken from nightmare he couldn't recall, crying and inconsolable with the overwhelming feeling that his mother would return and was angry with him.

After that night, Puck had finally told him the truth- that he had been taken from his true parents the day of his birth and raised as the Queen's own. This kind of thing happened from time to time, sometimes to better outcomes but mostly the interest in the child faded quickly and they were usually left to their own devices.

The following day, Puck took him to a ride to a small, but lively village and to his utter amazement, introduced him to his real parents. There had been no hesitation when the door to the brick house opened. The lovely woman with the red hair took one glance at Puck and then at Humbert and her eyes had filled with tears. It turns out she had never doubted that one day, her beloved lost son would return to her, they had never lost that hope.

Puck assured him this sleepy village was his home now. Only then did the fears of his adoptive mother coming back for him slowly fade.

Finding out now, that after all this time, she had indeed returned to claim him left Humbert feeling… angry, if he was to be honest about it, angry and outraged. He was no longer a helpless babe to be snatched away by night terrors. He was not a trinket to be paraded at court and tossed away.

"What in the world could that woman possibly want with me now?" He bit out.

"It's a complicated political game she's playing at." Puck explained, "The King has recently become smitten with an unwed goblin princess. In order to pacify the Goblin King and defuse a potential rival for Oberon's affections, the Queen has offered up your hand in marriage to the princess, only in a lot more flowery and indirect terms."

"Me?" Humbert stood up, shocked and outraged, "She can't do that! She can't marry me away! I am not her son!"

"Yes, she can. The law is on her side. She claimed you before your first birthday. To everyone concerned, you are a princeling who has currently run away from home. You have no grounds to refuse this. Thus, you need to leave and go far away. The America's maybe, hide away for the rest of your human life."

"Yes – _human_!" Humbert interrupted, trying to make sense of this sudden news. "Why would the princess of goblins agree to marry a human in the first place? I'd be dead before she was even out of her teens."

"You wouldn't age in her kingdom. If you think our Queen is bad, being a trophy husband in the goblin court…" Puck shuddered, "We haven't time for this. I told the Queen I was fetching you. Now we have to get gone before she finds out I've taken you away."

"My mother and father-' Hubert began.

"Will be safer this way." Puck quickly interjected. "I'm sorry Humbert, I really am but there's nothing I can do. I can't talk her out of it. She honestly thinks of you as her son. She is doing what's best for you in her eyes – marring you to an extremely rich kingdom, giving you eternal life - and when she's set on one of her good intentions, no one will sway her, regardless of how anyone might feel."

Bag packed, his best friend grabbed him by the arm and moved him down through the halls. It was late enough in the morning that the smell of breakfast cooking had filled the house. He could hear his parent's conversation coming from the dining room.

_Later,_ Humbert swore, _when this danger passes, I'll return, I promise._

~.~

A/N; This chapter really got away from me. I like to keep them all about the same length and this one was getting about three times that size. So! I cut it in to three chapters, trying to make the transitions not feel overly forced. For the writers out there – what word count do you aim for, if you even track that kind of thing per chapter?

Thanks everyone for the reviews and the interest. I don't always have time to respond but please know, they make this writer smile.


	4. Chapter 4

Humbert couldn't find it in his heart to return the friendly waves from his neighbors as he made it to the outer edges of the village with Puck. This place had been more a home to him than any he had ever known and the people within had taught him acceptance. They managed to look past his 'touched' green eyes and odd rearing. To them, he was Humbert, the prodigal son of a fisherman and the village beauty.

He had even planned on taking up an apprenticeship in boat crafting next season. He'd have the chance to see the distant lands he had only read about. See the world past the small village and the courts of the fae.

Then Puck showed up the morning after his sixteenth birthday and suddenly his dreams looked like they might not come to pass. Any distant lands he saw would be through the eyes of a fugitive, forever afraid to stay in one place too long, undoubtedly robbing him of any enjoyment of the adventure.

He couldn't believe he was going to have to spend the rest of his life running from his – what was she anyway? Adoptive mother by force? Wicked step mother? He wasn't sure. He _did_ know he wasn't pleased and that his chance at a normal life should have lasted more than a handful of years.

"There will be a boat waiting in the harbor." Puck commented, eyes forever searching the horizon. "Get on it and go."

"That's it then?" Humbert fumed, "Board a ship, and hope for the best?"

"For now, yes, trust, that is better than what will happen should you tarry. I'll send word when I'm able." The fae fumbled with the bag, "Knowing the Queen, once you're out of reach, she'll move on to another scheme. She hasn't the attention span to hold grudges, least that's been her pattern for the last few centuries. A quick curse is more her style than a long man hunt – only Oberon holds that special place in her heart."

"I don't think I shall ever understand you fairies. How can you serve such a heartless Queen?"

"She isn't heartless Humbert - she's fae. If you were a true fae, you'd understand."

"I'd rather not."

"It's simple, Humbert. She's the oldest of us, the most powerful and that comes at a cost. All parties concerned would rather serve her, love her, keep her happy than cross her. Besides, she's practically the standard of fae behavior. Your interactions with me have left you with unrealistic expectations that all fae can or would want to carry on healthy relationships with humans. I'm an odd one."

"You're the only one in the court that isn't insane." The younger man retorted.

Puck shook his head, "Mayhaps when you have lived a few centuries, you'll understand better the delicate games one must play to keep entertained eternal wit. When you measure your years in the shifting of continents, not the passing of seasons, you'd sacrifice a lot for long term peace. Most of us older ones – myself included, choose to obey her because it is far less tedious to indulge her whims than it is spending a century trying to shake off a curse."

The cobblestones of the village had scarcely given way to the dirt road when Humbert noticed an unsettling change in their surroundings. It was spring time in a coastal city – weather changes could be sudden but never had he so rapidly felt the shift of pressures as he did now.

The blue summer skies began to churn like an angry tide, dragging in clouds of gray and black, covering the skies in darkness within a matter of heartbeats. The thick smell of ozone pressed through his lungs, sending his back teeth aching with promises of lightening.

Puck noticed the change only a second after Humbert did and skidded to a stop. "Luck be damned." He cursed under his breath.

On the beaten dirt road ahead stood the Queen, dressed in full court attire, airy silks that shimmered and changed colors with each step she took, her head adorned by a crown of holly berries and ivy.

Surrounding her were the most beautiful fairies Humbert had ever seen.

_Her handmaidens, all seven of them._ His memories quickly supplied. Each one dressed as if they were the living embodiment of a season. One a vivid green, another dressed in a spread of lush summer fruits, one in the blessing of autumn fair, and yet another pure white with eyes that shone like diamonds in the stormy sunlight. The other three were clad in garments that seemed in transition and they weaved between their sisters, dancing and giggling as if to unheard music.

The young man couldn't pin down why but he knew the presence of the handmaidens had just dropped their chances of escape from 'slim' to 'none'.

In all the twirling and color of the dancing handmaidens, his eyes kept falling back to the Queen. The Queen who had once been mother, teacher and tormentor all wrapped up in one. How young she looked, a child no older than himself with perfect features and a delicate nature that seemed to beg for protection.

"Odd way to travel to the court Puck," She started as she trailed her fingers through a lock of her long sun teased hair.

Oh that voice! How had he forgotten her voice! It was bells and music, light and honey, the octave only lutes could reach and so pleasing.

"As you are presently heading in the wrong direction surely this is one of Puck's oddities. He does enjoy back roads." She continued with a smile. Her words were an opening and her offer was sincere – she hadn't flat out accused them of wrong doing and seemed ready to overlook their misguided direction.

"And Humbert," Titania beamed her be gemmed eyes focusing on him, moving closer to him to get a better look, "You have grown in to every promise of beauty I blessed you with. Why, in a few more years, there will be no match for you in all the courts."

Panic bloomed in his chest as she drew up to his face. Humbert shot a look towards Puck for guidance, but his friend suddenly seemed reluctant to meet his eyes. He felt his heart fall. Whatever fire of rebellion had been lit in his friend had flickered out in the presence of the Lady. He would be on his own in this.

"Come with me, son of mine." She encouraged, trailing long fingers against the flesh of his cheek, drawing his attention back to her childlike face. Her smile was so bright and loving, her eyes open and honest. He could feel her breath against him. It smelled of rose water, sunlight and cloves filling his senses until he could draw in no other air.

Would it really be so bad? He'd live forever in a magical wonderland, a loved and cherished King to the goblins. He felt foolish that he had even considered running away from such a boon. Like waking up renewed, Humbert felt the weight on his heart lift and he gratefully returned his mother's smile.

The maidens gave a startled hiss the second before Tatiana shouted Puck's name in warning.

Humbert felt himself being spun around and he saw Puck in his true form for only the second time in his life. This Puck was a full head taller than Humbert, with dark coloring, pointed ears and eyes that reflected the images of forests instead of their surroundings. "Use your damn fae sight fool human or what a waste that fire fruit was."

The hard smack across his face that followed nearly spun his head off and left him reeling to keep his balance. In that moment, Humbert did something he hadn't done for years. He reached out for his connection to the magic he had been gifted with. The bond was weak from disuse and its response was sluggish. It felt like he was trying to weave one of his father's fishing nets with an ox yoke. It took several attempts before the bond finally blossomed open to him, washing away the smell of roses and clover.

At some point he had fallen to his knees, crouched over and gasping for all his lungs were worth to clear them of the cloying stench. His stomach took that moment to remind him he had spent all night drinking 'Jonas grog' and he began to gag. Under all that, building in intensity that left him speechless was how much that had _hurt_, physically, emotionally. As a child, it was drilled in to his royal head that one never, ever used glamor on another fae, that it would be tragic to even attempt it, even in jest. It was the highest form of insult. The sheer shock that she had tried to take away his free will and nearly succeeded - would have succeeded had it not been for Puck, well and truly laid to rest whatever good will he had remaining for the vile fairy.

"Puck!" The Queen's voice had risen to a level that sent spikes of renewed pain through his head, "How dare you!"

His friend, who once again resembled the gentleman he had known his entire life, walked in to his field of view. Humbert caught a glance of his worried looked before Puck turned to face his Queen.

Titania was fuming. "How dare you!"

In response to her anger, the handmaidens snaked up around Puck, dancing around him. The moves seemed playful, had it not been for the twisted looks of glee. The Winter Maiden drew close enough to draw her fingers across his chest. This light, teasing touch seemed to cause him pain and he flinched away the next time she reached for him.

"You would stand between me and mine?" Her tone was cold, taunting. "Are you jealous? Is that it my Puck? What, the promise of eternal life, eternal youth beneath a human? Do you not understand I have secured his future, that he will be loved and a true King? Has ever a human born fae been offered more?"

"My Queen, how many centuries have I served under you? Never have a bore a jealous thought for you or yours."

"Because what you want you take!" She bit back, voice all venom. "You cannot covet when with such ease you can steal. You are like a child, selfish and self-serving. Had not you turned my son against me – as I see now you have, deny it not – secure would be his future, secure would be our kingdoms with the goblins."

Humbert felt the magic building in the air around them, closing in on the group. They were at the center of a hurricane and the winds were ever building. He desperately wanted to help, trying to stagger to his feet against the pounding in his head both from the after effect of the glamour and the raging storm pressing down them.

The handmaidens were drawing closer to Puck, until he was lost among the vibrant colors of the silks, spinning faster and faster.

Through pure luck, Puck's face, sad and resigned was visible to Humbert through a parting in the dancers as he answered Titania. "You call me a child yet I am not the one lashing out because my attempts at stealing another's free will failed."

Humbert felt the second the magic caught fire. It raced through his bond, screaming over the tree tops. It cracked open the skies and tore towards Puck hungry.

There was an insane moment when it looked like Puck was shrinking down in to the center of the maidens before the wild magic made a sharp turn, finding Humbert's own bond and igniting it, like flames following a lit fuse.

As the curse ate at his mind, his body, devouring him like sweet sugar dissolving in hot water, Humbert noticed the white riding suit Puck had dressed him in was covered in grass stains.

It was stupid and pointless and should have been the last thing he cared about as the Queen's curse was ripping him apart but as the entire world shifted around him, all he could do was stare at those stains.

~.~

Haru was not the most beautiful princess as far as the stories went. That right was her eldest sister, Louise's. _She_ was so stunning that she could change foul weather by simply asking it of the sky. She was so fair that it was impossible to be in the same room as her and remain in a bad mood because simply looking at her was a revelation of the senses.

Nor was she the most charismatic. _That_ would be her youngest sister, Hiromi who mediated an end to the Thousand Year war, both sides walking away feeling thankful for having met her. It was Hiromi that charmed the Naga dragon in to ending a five year drought and it was Hiromi that brought the smile back to their father, the King, after their mother died suddenly and cast the kingdom in to poverty.

What Haru _did_ have in spades was common sense. Now it turns out that wasn't a trait that had poets rushing to write haikus about her, nor did it move artist brushes to paint scrolls of her epic deeds. What it _did_ grant her was a kind of pessimistic realism about her current situation and _that_ allowed her to plan accordingly.

It was clear their father, the King had gone mad in his old age, coupled with loss and the stress of running a bankrupted kingdom. It was the actions of a mad man to demand his three daughter's set out on an impossible quest based on such a biased task as finding the 'most beautiful dog in the world'.

But Haru accepted it – not with the natural grace Louise did, or the good natured joking Hiromi did, but with the stoic understanding that there was no future for her at home and at least the quest would offer her a chance to seek other means.

That was until she drew the short straw.

Three sisters agreed they should part ways and in an effort to be fair, drew lots to decide the direction of their travels.

Louise drew first and got the East – a land known for its spices, vast harbors, gorgeous Turkish rugs and exotic imports.

Hiromi drew next and got the West – where new gods and magic's were being discovered all the time, where adventure was around every corner and where entire cities of gold were said to be hidden.

Haru drew last and thus, she knew exactly where she was heading. The Isles, the farmland of the civilized world, where anything interesting had already been discovered centuries ago, logged and put in museums. Where, most importantly, the only dogs were big herding beasts that were about as beautiful as they were refined.

Her sisters had given her a few encouraging words, silently thankful they hadn't drew that lot.

But Haru, being blessed as she was with common sense, simply tucked the lot away, dismissed her guard – what point would they serve in a farming country as mild as churned butter?- and got on her horse.

That was exactly five months ago. Which left her one month to find this 'gorgeous' dog that would secure her future and one month to travel home because all impossible quests needed an arbitrary deadline, of course.

She could hardly bring her father a sheep dog, so increasingly her travels lead her further and further off the beaten path until she found herself utterly lost in a forest that had no right to be in such an otherwise dull land.

Her common sense was lecturing her as she hacked her way through the thick overgrowth. She shouldn't have left the safety of the villages. A 'wolf' hardly counted as a 'dog' in the traditional terms so what had she hoped to gain by galloping in to a forest? And hadn't she realized her horse hadn't been shoed for uneven ground?

Was she happy she was now horseless, lost and going to return home empty handed?

_Gah,_ She sighed, letting her sword rest. _Why couldn't I have been blessed with a sweet singing voice instead?_ "Cause at least singing would be something. I could be singing away in ignorance right now." Haru finished out loud.

"Where in the hells am I?" She demanded suddenly, sitting down heavily with a sigh. In all directions there was an endless sea of trees, each looking identical to the last. Exhausted, frustrated, hands throbbing from the abuse of hacking at undergrowth for hours, Haru ignored the warnings of her common sense and promptly settled down for a nap.

No sooner had her breath started to draw evenly, than a shadow fell over her.

A young child of about five years cautiously approached her. He had a thoughtful look on his chubby face, his head tilted to the side as he considered her.

"Wither wander you?" He asked with amusement in his voice. "Been ages since anyone ventured in here, those blessed with sense, anyway.' He tucked the set of pan pipes he had been toying with in to his waist band and leaned down closer to the sleeping woman.

"How far you've traveled." He said, noting her dark hair and almond shaped eyes. "Far enough maybe to see with fresh eyes the tragedy here but most importantly, beggars can't be choosers and you, my lady fair, are the only one I have seen in years." With a shriveled piece of fruit carefully poised in one hand, the child rubbed them against each of her sleeping eyelids, a mischievous smile playing on his face. "Lady luck, if this is you courting me, I gladly give chase. Let us hope this princess from afar will see an end to this madness which we've been plagued. I promised him a happy ending, lest Puck a liar call."

~.~

Yep, no longer afraid of my word count ;) Thanks for all the adds, reviews, favs. You know they make my day. And look! Haru! Only some four chapters later lol.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N – revised and with a new lead in to chapter 6. As always, my thanks to Cat – who is more often than not my unknowing beta.

_~.~_

_Another day._

Haru sighed and began the nasty business of extracting foliage from her hair because one does not sleep under trees and come away with grooming intact.

It had rained sometime during her sleep, the opulent smell of turned earth and heavy pine sap coated her right along with the morning dew.

_Must have been not a heavy rain_, she thought for it had not awakened her nor had it left her clothing feel damp. She supposed she had the sheltering boughs of pine above her to thank.

That thought gave her pause. "May it be a trick of the fading daylight, for I could swear I fell asleep under a growth of aspen yet awake in the company of giant pine and redwoods; who are about as native to these grassy farmlands as I am."

Making ready to leave, she strapped on her light riding armor and her short sword, pausing to stretch out a troublesome knot in her neck. The more she thought on it, the less she liked the change in surroundings. Her mood hadn't been forward thinking yesterday, so focused on the idiocy of her quest and its impending failure.

In hindsight, it had been a mistake to leave her entourage in a tiff of emotion. Two fold to sleep outdoors without the protection of a fire. Yet neither of these mistakes should have merited her waking in a different place entire. Who had ever heard of such a thing? Perhaps it was the nature of the West.

Having made as ready as she was going to get, Haru paused and looked, really _looked_ at the forest around her. Part of being so clever was readily accepting things that sense couldn't deny and there was no denying her 'nap' had taken an unexpected turn.

No longer was she in the overgrowth of a young forest – where every vine, sapling and bush rushes to compete for the sun's grace. This was a forest so old she could ride side to side with four of her men on horseback between the closest of the trees. The giant redwoods dwarfed any tree she could think in comparison. Had an industrious man the desire, a house could be built in the truck of such trees, fit for a family of several.

"Not," Haru amended, "would ever I give thought to raising an ax to such a tree. It's falling would crack the earth in two." A sense of amusement seem to drift down and around her in answered to her statement, one that was alien but undeniably directed at her. The feeling sent gooseflesh rising on her arms. It wasn't _impossible_ that a forest this old had gained sentience, she granted. There had to be a reason it was undisturbed when it contained unspeakable wealth in timber and sap.

Haru decided it would be in her best interest to keep the rest of her thoughts to herself and quickly leave on an up note.

~.~

"I can't help but thinking," She said, several hours later, "That you're leading me in circles." Haru had finally stopped to pull her poor swollen feet free of her leather riding shoes. She had a rough idea on the direction she should go – having travelled east when she entered the woods, west was the only logical choice to get out.

"There's a sense of expectation," Haru continued, aiming her comment at the largest of the pines, "That when one heads in a westerly fashion, one ends up going west. Yet I find myself going west and by all signs and indication, I've gone south, east and west again. To you."

Under the pine was the disturbed ground that she had turned up in her sleep. The tiny branch of bent needles she had broken against her teeth to clean them, even the toss away core from her breakfast apple was still nestled in a growth of moss where she had left it for the birds.

This time she was better prepared for the faint brush of emotion which she understood to be the forest's response to her rambling.

"I do not see a reason for mirth." She shot back. "This is fun and games to you but I have a deadline that needs being met. I may seem a tiny creature to you, no better than the ground squirrel you shadow but I must insist you and your brethren not hinder my travels."

The amusement faded off, like laughter dying in an empty room. In the place of the emotion came the unmistakable feeling that she was being watched, unfavorably. The feeling drew her closer to inspect the massive trunk, inching one cautious step after the next until she was within a hand span of the bark.

Littering the trunk of the pine, at every twist and bend was knotted wood twisted in to dark points – points that rolled and followed to track her every move, all different shapes and sizes, each watching her. Rising a hand deliberately closer, all those points of black rapidly spun to focus in on it. Almost like -

"Eyes." She gasped, stumbling back at her discovery.

The eyes stayed locked on her. There was no expression to them, only that emotionless tracking, measuring gaze of thousands. It took her but a quick glance to confirm that the trees around her had eyes as well; the redwood closest to her had a single eye with a cherry stained pupil several time her size.

"You're alive." She whispered softly under her breath. There was enough magic in her own kingdom that the thought of a forest that could express emotions didn't cause her pause. That a forest would be filled with eyes –_ judging_ eyes – with a fixation on _her _and dubious intent – that was another thing entire.

Haru was torn between trying to sneak away, likely impossible when the entire area was alive and interested or hoping the unmovable giants were just that and would be unable to pursue or detain her by force.

She didn't _quiet_ draw her sword, only moving her hand rested on its worn hilt in warning. "I'm leaving." Haru declared loudly. "I am here by mistake. My only desire is to depart without injury and in turn, I will cause none."

That turned out to be the wrong thing to say. Waves of emotion lapped at the edges of her mind in protest; making it known the forest would not allow her to depart.

Haru did the only thing she could think to do.

She ran.

What happened next was entirely her fault. She had not counted on the forest objecting so _physically _to her hasty attempt at escape. As it turns out, the unmovable wooden giants had allies – the birds that darted at her head, insects that swarmed over her face and the root systems of lesser trees that made a fantastic deterrent to fleeting feet.

Had she but taken a breath to collect herself, the accident would not have occurred, yet once she began to run, the terror of being chased fueled her to run faster and faster. Haven given in to the instinct to flee, all other thoughts were suppressed.

All she had was two frantic heartbeats to realize her feet were no longer on the ground. Only long enough to see an unbroken skyline before falling head over feet as she crashed down the rocky cliff that marked the edge of the forest.

There were three great crashes when her armor met rock, the impacts painfully shattering her chest and one soundless crush when her unguarded leg paid its toll against the rocky crag. It was over so fast Haru took several panicky breaths before it registered she was lying face down on ground.

The pain in her leg was magnificent, an opus of hurt that sang through her body from deep within. Like a blanket, it hushed the protests of her ribs which were no doubt bruised or broken themselves as she struggled to sit up. Ribs be damned, all she cared about was getting her leg out from underneath her.

Slow and tedious, her efforts were broken often by half sobs and shocks of pain that sent brilliant flares in her mind. By the time she finally got the poor twisted limb in front of her, the sight near broke her heart and Haru regretted having viewed it at all. Death seen was no more readily accepted for she knew that was what her leg represented.

It was a simple break, a nasty bruise that ran the length of her lower leg with a twisted end of a bone that stopped shy of breaking skin. She'd seen and personally taken worse hits herself, having been thrown many times when she was a new rider. But that had been in the comforts of her father's court; every scratch was attended by the kingdoms best physicians and her body bore not a single scar from previous falls.

Alone, deep in a hostile wood the outcome would be gravely different.

Already a light spring rain was falling, draping down through the trees. By night the chilly ghost of an autumn not yet past would change that misty drizzle in to frost. It would coat her idle limbs and drive from her body heat – or what was left of it after the shock of the broken bone settled.

The hope of rescue couldn't overcome the Clever thoughts. Far was the beaten path, further still the entourage sitting safe in the tavern she had bid them wait. They were loyal, good servants that had a misplaced faith in their mistresses traveling skills. They would stay in that tavern waiting far past the chance of recovery.

_Undone by the faithfulness of good men_, she thought despairingly. The throb in her leg kept time with her heart, frantic beats that ran under her skin. Haru could feel the shock start to wear off and noted it had been keeping a feverish chill at bay.

There were options of course, always options. That's why she was the very Clever one – Haru allowed herself to considered what her sisters would never entertain.

She could wait and the waiting would kill her sure as her leg would. She could seek help but the sight of the dead and long abandoned village in front of her was testimony to the travelled nature of this area. The broken bone was more likely to break through that fragile veil of skin if she tried to walk and bleeding out seemed a piss poor way to go. All those options felt like defeat. Her life entire had been filled with propriety, decorum and filling the wishes of a deranged father King.

Thoughts of her father caused her anger to return like a well-tended fire. He could hardly be blamed for her ill-advised side track in to the woods but his mad quest had become the root of all her problems and it didn't surprise her in the least it would be her death.

"I won't die on my back." Haru declared vehemently. "I am not cattle to be led passively in to the Summerlands." With shaky hands and she gripped her sword, struggling to pull it free from its hilt.

"I am the Second born. The Clever one and I will choose my own death. How better will death taste if served from a hand most willing? How true will my steel strike when in futile defense of its mistress? I will exit as I see fit, a most befitting finale for a life lead in silken chains."

Fever ebbing at the edge of her mind, half wild with pain, Haru began striking the flat of her sword against a loosened boulder. Magic woods be damned, there were beasts still that hungered for human flesh.

"Come take my breath if you can! A royal meal to the victor but I swear, I will have many of you for company in the Summerlands first!"

~.~

_Another day._

He laid in his bed, watching the shadows of the trees play across the remains of his thatched roof. Humbert tucked an arm behind his head, trying to find the motivation to get about.

_Too late for the trading season, _He reasoned, _too early for the harvest._ _And I sure as damn don't want to spend another day forging in the rain._

"Gah." He sighed, pushing his slender frame upright and yawning as he dragged from his bed. "I should quit this place." He muttered to no one, splashing his face with the bowl of water that sat under his mirror for the purpose. He tried not to catch his reflection in the mirror. It was sheer self-deprecation that made him keep it at all. No sense in trying to hide what he was, lest of all from himself.

"I don't know why I stay." He continued on, shaking the water from his paws and grabbing a faded cloth from nearby to attend to his face. "There are villages out there I would be welcomed in, this fur, and these _enchanting _eyes. Puck has said enough, often. I'd be a right smash. If I don't mind completely turning my back on ever being human again."

Humbert sighed, stopping his efforts to draw his shirt over his head. "How fair thee uncle?"

"As fair as a summer night, wrapped in the blankets of rest. For all your griping Humbert, you have to admit, the heightened senses are nice. Long gone are the days I could surprise you." Answered a youthful voice, filled with a soft appreciation. "The unfortunate should find comfort in the small blessings visited upon them."

"Oh yes!" Humbert said, tugging the white shirt on and snatching up the sword resting against his wardrobe in one fluid motion. "I may be cursed and wield a blade fit for a child's toy," he exclaimed, shaking the hilt of the short swords towards the child on the bed, "But the ears do pick up unwelcomed guests rather nicely."

"Unwelcomed? You've mistaken me for another, for Puck is many things -never unwelcomed." Puck stated smoothly and even as a child, managed to raise an eyebrow in a manner fitting a man of court. "I seem to have caused you some offense. What harm have I done you lately?"

Humbert narrowed his eyes as he drew on his belt. "My mind scrambles for a starting place."

"If," Puck started, moving to help himself to a bowl of small green apples that sat within reach of the bed, "you refer to the visitors I brought calling the other night, I see no harm in offering the lonely company. You are being rather ungrateful and childish." He added, taking a mannered bite from the fruit.

"I am _not_ a Kin!" Humbert retorted, trying to keep his calm. "You had no right to lead a group of them here! I was not born this, I was cursed it.

I belong with the Kin as much as I belong in a human village, which is to say, not at all. Not anymore. "

Puck rolled his eyes and pushed himself off the bed to come stand by his adopted nephew, apple in hand. "And I was the oldest of the fae, second in power only to the Queen herself. Yet I find enjoyment playing in the fields with the farmer's children and the pan pipes so long discarded in my prime years have found a place in my heart that was once reserved only for drink and women. These are hard times nephew, but joy is joy no matter the dressing it takes. So rich are you in blessings you can pick and discard these gems as you like?"

"To what purpose is your visit?" Humbert's answered flatly.

"Better company am I than your maudlin reflections, despite your tone I know I am a distraction most welcome." Puck's voice betrayed his youthful body, every bit of it understanding and patient.

Humbert looked over at his uncle and immediately felt an ass. "Forgive uncle mine. I cannot blame my poor moods on you, easy target though you are." He drew a deep breath, "You are right, of course. I shouldn't have reacted as I did when you brought the Kin here. How I am not resigned to this form after so many years is testimony only to my foolish hope.

Come, walk with me. I had thought to find honey. Mayhap we could waste away the days crafting mead and drinking to our sorrows." He offered a lopsided smile in the manner of a peace offering.

"Ah mead," Puck laughed, returning the smile. "I fear I have never picked up the taste for your ales, I am forever a follower of Dionysus . Let us craft a fine wine instead." He vanished the core of the apple, to who knows where before snapping his fingers in sudden remembrance. "Silly Puck, I had forgotten. I've brought you company."

Humbert's smile immediately fell. "Oh gods not again – save me from well meaning fae."

"Be not quick to protest!" Puck said, "You will find her delightful! I found her wandering in the Twisted Pine."

"Her?"

"A traveler of sorts, on a quest as mad as the day is long but clever despite her current mission. Gifted with a wit that would match your own, I should think."

Humbert was about to reprimand his uncle's recklessness when a voice came cutting through the morning air.

"What in the world…" He muttered as he and Puck moved to the window, searching the ground below for the source of the noise.

There, at the edge of what had once been his village was the unmistakable form of a woman, laying on the ground near a boulder. Banging her fine steel against said boulder for everything she was worth and yelling;

"_Come take my breath if you can! A royal meal to the victor but I swear, I will have many of you for company in the Summerlands first!" _

Humbert raised an eyebrow while Puck's face fell in to a frown. "Clever, you say?"

"Delirium aside…" He answered with enough grace to sound embarrassed.

~.~

From afar, the woman looked tiny, little more than a stark streak of ebon hair against the base of a mountain. The strong words of her cries were undermined by the fading strength of her voice.

"Did you do this, Puck?" Humbert asked, even as he hurried to pull his boots on.

"Not _that_." He retorted, the offense clear. "Blessed her with fae sight was my only gift. I _might_ have hinted to the Pine my pleasure should she join us here." A thread of guilt weaved its way in to his words. "Age is power Humbert and mine magic is a young, untested thing. I certainly didn't mean for her to dive off a cliff, nor call for her demise so loudly."

"Magic." Humber huffed with no small amount of distain. He pushed open his bedroom door and rushed down the stairs. He could hear Puck following with his light steps but didn't bother to wait for him.

The woman wasn't going to attract any wild animals with her insane behavior. However she _was_ very likely to attract the unsavory characters that crossed through the Twisted Pine and he certainly wasn't in any shape to fight off bandits.

He moved over and around the over growth with his customary agility, closing the distance in a hand full of minutes. She was still going at it with her sword, banging it against the boulder, but her voice and her efforts seemed to be fading. He hoped that wasn't a sign she was seriously injured.

~.~

There was a rustling from the overgrowth much sooner than Haru had anticipated. The idea of being mauled by a wild animal as opposed to wasting away over several days had seemed appealing in the abstract sense. Faced with the reality for it happening, her heart began to pound and her lungs ceased up with adrenaline. The demanding pain of her leg was shoved aside and she gripped her blade in the ready.

Haru's let out an unstable breath.

The relief as unbelievable as it was immediate and her blade fell from her fingers.

A Pooka parted the trees on the edge of the village, staring at her with the most incredible green eyes.

Haru was very familiar with Pookas, several cooks and a few of the gardeners at the castle were rabbit Pookas. A wolf Pooka tended the horses. They were kind enough, though very reserved on the occasions their paths crossed.

Not that she blamed them. Pookas had a history of poor treatment at the hands of humans. Despite having their sharp intelligence, they were widely considered second class citizens by their human counterparts. Little more than pets that could talk and walk.

The one that had stumbled across Haru was a cat Pooka, with warm ginger fur and tall. Taller than any Pooka she had ever seen.

Her eyes lingered on his clothing and on the sword attached to his belt. Likely, his employer had sent him in to the woods to hunt small game. Cats were renowned for their hunting skills. Or mayhap he had no employer at all. Haru had never heard of cat Pookas keeping company with ought but their own.

"Pooka," She started softly, licking the gravel from her lips and trying not to seem like a threat. "Would you be so kind as to fetch help?"

When he stayed silent, watching her with those haunting eyes, she quickly realized her sword was within her reach and made a show of lifting her hand away. "Even if my present state would allow, I offer you no harm. I have injured my leg gravely and though I appear alone, I have companions seeking me, missing me. If you could get help, you will be rewarded most handsome."

And yet he continued to stand there, watching her. The emotion writ on his features was unreadable to Haru, marked as it was by fur and whisker but it seemed not pleasant.

It occurred to her than this village was not abandoned and damn her luck, she had likely fallen in to a Pooka village and no human had ever been offered welcome to a Pooka village.

"Forgive me." She tried again, eyes swimming in unshed tears of pain. "I meant no trespass. Had I a thought of coming here, it would not be by via cliff, you shall have to trust my word on that."

With a sigh of long suffering, the Pooka finally moved, his hand mirroring her earlier motion of lifting away from his sword. "Don't move and for the gods sake, keep your death wish to yourself. Dragging you back to my home will be task enough without fighting off cutthroats for my troubles."

Haru nodded bleakly, feeling the unshed tears loosen from her eyelashes. The Pooka had a deep, rich, cultured voice. One meant for giving orders, all strength and certainty, light and heavy all at once. Not the broken voice of a long serving Pooka nor the resentment of one reaching past his means. In the span of a few words, she was changing her entire perspective of him.

_No ordinary Pooka have I found._

And she must have let that thought slip unbidden from her lips because at once he was chuckling, considering her again with those sharp eyes. "You are a clever one, aren't you?"

"No," Haru managed, letting the waves of pain take her deeper away from the present. "Not at all but no greater shame would there be if like could not recognize like and by the gods be damned if you don't look like you're on a quest for a beautiful dog yourself."

The rest of her observations were carried away when the rough pads of his paws began to tend to set her leg. After that, she wasn't clever anymore. She was a primal animal of screams and pain.

Haru wished she would pass out but the hallucinations were almost as good.

In the middle of it all, a small child with eyes older than the world came up to her, moving around the Pooka at work and rested a cool hand on her forehead.

His voice was uncanny, it had no right coming from those cherub lips but he spoke all the same. Something about promises and fate and all the other things Haru didn't hold a candle too. It was comfort still and she wrapped it around herself until she finally, finally was asleep.


End file.
